Long Ago and Far Away: the Extraordinary Journey of Hawai‘i‘s Canoe Plants

Long Ago and Far Away: the Extraordinary Journey of Hawai‘i‘s Canoe Plants

Long Ago and Far Away: the Extraordinary Journey of Hawai‘i‘s Canoe Plants Free lecture series resumes on September 13 at KCC

“Long Ago and Far Away: the Extraordinary Journey of Hawai‘i’s Canoe Plants” is a free public lecture by Mike DeMotta, curator of living collections at the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG), on Tuesday, September 13 at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at the KCC Campus Center in Puhi.

Mike will take his audience on a journey covering thousands of miles and as many years, detailing how some two dozen plant species, many with origins in Southeast Asia, were cultivated and carried by humans as they migrated to Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

Using Hawaiian language and legends, Mike will convey the importance of the centuries-old relationships the first Hawaiian people forged with ‘canoe plants‘ like ‘uala (sweet potato), kalo (taro), and kō (sugar cane). Drawing on his own cultural knowledge and professional horticultural experience, DeMotta will discuss how NTBG uses canoe plants for education and outreach.

The talk is part of the ‘What in the World’ lecture series, one of the many collaborations between the nonprofit National Tropical Botanical Garden and Kauai Community College. Both NTBG and KCC share a common goal of quality education. NTBG is a not-for-profit institution, headquartered in Kalāheo. KCC, which is part of the University of Hawai‘i system, operates a large campus in Līhu‘e.

For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations, please contact Margaret Clark at (808) 332-7324 ext. 225 at least 10 days in advance.